Crocus March 2012

[annew]

My crocus lawn is going to take a long time to catch up to Franz's:

I've had this clump of C. tommasinianus (from Janis) for a few years, and this is the first time I have noticed the lilac veining on it.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Crocus x leonidii "Janis Ruksans" out in the garden - flowering poorly this year - suffered badly from the severe frost ...  

[annew]

Do crocuses get Stagonospora? A pot of C. fleischeri appears to be badly infected by it. Also, my pot of C. minimus, has only froduced a few shoots this year. I knocked them out to have a look, expecting to find the others rotten, or eaten, but they are fine and firm, but still dormant. Any ideas?

[Martin Baxendale]

That lilac striped white tom is very striking, Anne. Did it come from Janis with a name?

[annew]

Just C. tomasinianus albus.

[Gerry Webster]

Do crocuses get Stagonospora? A pot of C. fleischeri appears to be badly infected by it. Also, my pot of C. minimus, has only froduced a few shoots this year. I knocked them out to have a look, expecting to find the others rotten, or eaten, but they are fine and firm, but still dormant. Any ideas?

I don't know about Stagonospora, but crocus do not appear to be doing well this year. A number of mine have very unhealthy looking leaves & others have just disappeared. I assume this is the effect of the severe cold of the 10-11 winter exacerbated by the cold snap this winter

[johnw]

In the quest to get some different coloured Crocus tommassinianus do you think a cross of 'Roseus' x 'Ruby Giant' or 'Whitewell Purple' would give enough variation to warrant such a cross?  I don't know of any sources for variants of this species in North America, maybe some of the American forumist might know of one.

Anne - Stagonospora curtisii is specific to the Amaryllidaceae as far as I know.  There are other Stag species that affect other genera methinks.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

Making a new thread for this month   

[johnw]

I don't know about Stagonospora, but crocus do not appear to be doing well this year. A number of mine have very unhealthy looking leaves & others have just disappeared. I assume this is the effect of the severe cold of the 10-11 winter exacerbated by the cold snap this winter

Gerry  - I was blaming the incredibly wet spring, summer and autumn for the lack of flowers on the autumn crocus.  It will be interesting to see how the spring ones fare as it has been a very mild winter here.  We had about 7cm of snow last night but south of here they were predicting 25-30cm.  Mild tomorrow and 15mm of rain so we might just be able to inspect the snowdrops.

johnw

[daveyp1970]

Just C. tomasinianus albus.

Anne you sent me this Crocus a year or so ago and i have to say it is a little cutie and one of my favourites.

[Martin Baxendale]

Anne, I hope the white tom will eventually make an appearance on your sales list. I'm sure you'd have plenty of takers for it.

[Hoy]

Anne,  i like your white form of tommasinianus! I have not seen any like it here here although some rather pale forms have appeared here during the years.
More C tomassinianus - and a few others that try to hide among them! They're all selfseeded though.

[Alex]

Very happy to see this Crocus scardicus flowering 3 years after I got it, courtesy of a generous forumist (thanks, Tony!).

I have had less good luck with C. pelistericus; a few buds formed, but they aborted and I got no flowers 

Alex

[ronm]

That has got to be well worth the wait though Alex! . A little beauty. Congratulations

[ian mcenery]

Very happy to see this Crocus scardicus flowering 3 years after I got it, courtesy of a generous forumist (thanks, Tony!).

I have had less good luck with C. pelistericus; a few buds formed, but they aborted and I got no flowers 

Alex

Congratulations Alex

I have the same plants from the same source but my pelistericus flowered well but not scardicus. .